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Stretched Parking-Brake Cables?



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 27th 11, 03:17 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata
Arye
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Posts: 8
Default Stretched Parking-Brake Cables?

I am told that the parking-brake cables of my 1990 Miata (154,000 miles)
have now stretched beyond the ability of the manual adjusters (both at
the brake handle and at the rear calipers) to compensate for the slack.
The brake pedal works fine; the parking brake, on the other hand,
doesn't hold almost at all.

Has anyone ever needed to replace the parking-brake cables due to them
being stretched too long?
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  #2  
Old September 27th 11, 04:14 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata
XS11E[_1_]
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Posts: 738
Default Stretched Parking-Brake Cables?

Arye > wrote:

> I am told that the parking-brake cables of my 1990 Miata (154,000
> miles) have now stretched beyond the ability of the manual
> adjusters (both at the brake handle and at the rear calipers) to
> compensate for the slack. The brake pedal works fine; the parking
> brake, on the other hand, doesn't hold almost at all.
>
> Has anyone ever needed to replace the parking-brake cables due to
> them being stretched too long?


Yes, mine also need replacing. I wonder if anyone makes a "cable
shortner", I recall seeing such things for other uses?

NOTE: One thing I learned is the adjustment at the brake lever must be
loosened WAAAAAAY loose before adjusting the rear wheel adjusters,
otherwise you'll get exactly what you describe. Try backing the handle
adjuster way off, then redo the rear wheel adjuters, see what happens?


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  #3  
Old September 27th 11, 09:21 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata
Christopher Muto
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Posts: 306
Default Stretched Parking-Brake Cables?

On 9/27/2011 10:17 AM, Arye wrote:
> I am told that the parking-brake cables of my 1990 Miata (154,000 miles)
> have now stretched beyond the ability of the manual adjusters (both at
> the brake handle and at the rear calipers) to compensate for the slack.
> The brake pedal works fine; the parking brake, on the other hand,
> doesn't hold almost at all.
>
> Has anyone ever needed to replace the parking-brake cables due to them
> being stretched too long?


though the two braking system share the use of the rear brake
caliper/pads/disk, they engage the rear brakes using one of two
different systems. The parking brake engages the rear brakes using the
parking brake handle and a set of cables. this is separate from the
hydraulic system used when you engage the brake pedal.
the parking brake system is very much like the system used on bicycles,
and the cables can fail due to being stretch (lots of use), or from
become corroded (little use) over time.
I have found http://parts.arlingtonmazda.com/ to be a inexpensive place
to purchase oem mazda parking brake cables... about $50 per side. if
you look at the pictures of the cables on their site you will see they
have terminated ends that provide a certain amount of adjustment... but
once you have adjusted them to the minimum length there is nothing that
you can do other than replace them.

  #4  
Old September 27th 11, 09:31 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata
Christopher Muto
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Posts: 306
Default Stretched Parking-Brake Cables?

On 9/27/2011 4:21 PM, Christopher Muto wrote:
> On 9/27/2011 10:17 AM, Arye wrote:
>> I am told that the parking-brake cables of my 1990 Miata (154,000 miles)
>> have now stretched beyond the ability of the manual adjusters (both at
>> the brake handle and at the rear calipers) to compensate for the slack.
>> The brake pedal works fine; the parking brake, on the other hand,
>> doesn't hold almost at all.
>>
>> Has anyone ever needed to replace the parking-brake cables due to them
>> being stretched too long?

>
> though the two braking system share the use of the rear brake
> caliper/pads/disk, they engage the rear brakes using one of two
> different systems. The parking brake engages the rear brakes using the
> parking brake handle and a set of cables. this is separate from the
> hydraulic system used when you engage the brake pedal.
> the parking brake system is very much like the system used on bicycles,
> and the cables can fail due to being stretch (lots of use), or from
> become corroded (little use) over time.
> I have found http://parts.arlingtonmazda.com/ to be a inexpensive place
> to purchase oem mazda parking brake cables... about $50 per side. if you
> look at the pictures of the cables on their site you will see they have
> terminated ends that provide a certain amount of adjustment... but once
> you have adjusted them to the minimum length there is nothing that you
> can do other than replace them.
>


rockauto has aftermarket left and rear parking brake cables for about
$30 for each side... and they sell the other cable for front of the
system as well.
  #5  
Old September 28th 11, 11:47 PM posted to rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata
XS11E[_1_]
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Posts: 738
Default Stretched Parking-Brake Cables?

Christopher Muto > wrote:

> if you look at the pictures of the cables on their site you will
> see they have terminated ends that provide a certain amount of
> adjustment... but once you have adjusted them to the minimum
> length there is nothing that you can do other than replace them.


They can be repaired.

I wouldn't recommend this if it were other than the parking brake but
since a parking brake failure is very unlikely to result in an
accident....... The end of the cable can be cut off a very small amount
and a new end fabricated and welded on. Any motorcyle shop that's been
in business for several years (before hydraulic clutches and brakes)
can do this or tell you where it can be done.

If you have the capabilities to do this yourself it could be cost
effective, if not it may not save you enough money to bother with it
but it's something to consider.

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  #6  
Old October 6th 11, 12:22 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata
John McGaw
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Posts: 147
Default Stretched Parking-Brake Cables?

On 9/27/2011 10:17 AM, Arye wrote:
> I am told that the parking-brake cables of my 1990 Miata (154,000 miles)
> have now stretched beyond the ability of the manual adjusters (both at the
> brake handle and at the rear calipers) to compensate for the slack. The
> brake pedal works fine; the parking brake, on the other hand, doesn't hold
> almost at all.
>
> Has anyone ever needed to replace the parking-brake cables due to them
> being stretched too long?


My '01 NA had stretched cables at 124K and had I kept it any longer I would
have had to replace them but I traded it in in '06 on a new one. I suspect
that this isn't a rare problem.
 




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